SOUTH COAST FLAME SCORCH BALMAIN

South Coast made it back-to-back wins in the top grade with a 5-0 win over Balmain Tigers at Crehan Park. The result was identical to the reverse fixture and while goalkeeper Matt White was the star man on that occasion, a complete team performance this time round meant he only had to pull off the one save. Overall, it was a great day for the club added to by a decent point in the under 20s as well as a strong win in the under 18s.

 

Youngster Louis Connell made a couple of committed runs down the right flank in the opening stages of the match and that would be the avenue for South Coast taking the lead after 14 minutes. Connell managed to get in behind the opposing fullback before hitting a low cross in for an onrushing Bojan Caric who was able to scramble the ball home.

 

With half an hour on the clock, Andrew Bova had a chance to get the side’s second but he blazed his shot over the bar from just outside the six-yard box. Flame would double their advantage a minute out from halftime with Caleb Grace doing well to control the ball just inside the box before firing his shot past Hiroki Fujiwara. The home side would go into the break leading 2-0.

 

In the 62nd minute, Balmain had their best chance of the match when Swaray Kamara was played through on goal. The number 6 was one on one with White and he looked to place the ball into the bottom right corner but a strong left-handed save denied him.

 

Johnny Vicoroski was injected into the match in the 65th minute and within 10 minutes the striker heading the under 20s goalscoring charts had two solid chances. In the 70th minute, he was played through on goal by Connell but couldn’t manage to toe the ball past Fujiwara and two minutes later he had a decent effort saved by the Tigers’ goalkeeper.

 

Flame turned up the heat in the final 15 minutes by pushing the lead out to five. In the 75th minute, Dion Sterjovski cut in from the left wing before his low curling effort found the bottom right corner. In the 83rd minute, Vicoroski pressured the goalkeeper before tapping the ball into the net to score his maiden First Grade goal and four minutes later Connell put the icing on the cake when he followed up Vicoroski’s parried shot to knock the ball into an empty net.

 

The 5-0 victory sees the side move up one place into 8th, six points off the top five. After the match, coach Paul Robaard said, “It was really pleasing to see the boys show off some of the potential that they have got and actually believing in it which helped up get the result.” Robaard thought everyone delivered a strong performance, however, he singled out new signing Grant Wilson who produced a man of the match display on debut, “I thought he was exceptional today. He led from the back and really helped us organise things.” South Coast begin a month-long spell away from home next weekend with a trip to Valentine Sports Park to take on 3rd placed University of NSW with the match kicking off at 7pm.

 

The under 20s side played out a competitive 0-0 draw with both teams having opportunities to steal all three points. The point pushes the side above Hurstville City Minotaurs and into 5th though the Minotaurs have two games in hand including a match against Bankstown United on Sunday. Flame take on 3rd placed University next weekend and a win could potentially see them overtake the Students.

 

The under 18s have picked up 13 points from the past five matches with the latest result being a 3-0 victory over the Tigers. Flame led by one at the break before going on to score two more in the second half with Ethan Lehn netting a double to take his season tally to six while Connor Peterson scored the other. The win moves the side into 6th and only outside the top five on goal difference. Next week’s opponents University sit in 3rd, just a point above the Flame.

 

Saturday 16 June 2018 @ Crehan Park

 

South Coast Flame FC - 5 (CARIC 14’, GRACE 44’, STERJOVSKI 75, VICOROSKI 83’, CONNELL 87’)

 

Balmain Tigers - 0

 

South Coast Flame FC lineup - Matt WHITE, Darren JONES, Grant WILSON, Andrew CHRISTIE, Doug WOODIWISS, Andrew BOVA, Wade WILTON, Caleb GRACE, Dion STERJOVSKI, Louis CONNELL, Bojan CARIC

 

Subs - Brendan GROOM, George SOURIS, Kenny JAMES (on for GRACE), Julio MUSHABA (on for WOODIWISS), Johnny VICOROSKI (on for CARIC)

 

Coach - Paul ROBAARD

 

Report and photo by Dylan Arvela, on Twitter @dylanarvela

 




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